Commons or common land covers over 70 square kilometres and constitute almost half of the total land area of the Gower Peninsula. Situated in South Wales, near Swansea, the peninsula was the first area in the UK to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1956 for its exceptional landscape and natural beauty.

The landscape of lowland common on Gower has been formed through the complex interaction of geology, climate and stewardship of the commons by successive generations of commoners. The commons are locally, nationally and internationally important for nature conservation and, collectively, are one of the most significant areas of lowland heathland in Wales and the world. Unlike the situation in the rest of the UK, the commons continue to be grazed by local commoner’s animals and this grazing is still an essential part of the farm economy. Management of commons by grazing and other methods such as with fire and machinery is essential in order to maintain the quality of the landscape, the richness of wildlife and the opportunities for public access that exist today.

NEWS SECTION

Gower Soil Conditioner NOW ON SALE. A 60 litre bag of this composted mixture of bracken (harvested from Gower commons) and local farm manure is on sale. For more information click here